Perpetual calendar



Nov. 20, 1951 E. RoEsHoLM PERPETUAL CALENDAR 2 SHEETS--SHEET l Filed July 20, 1950 AN ma INVENTOR. ELIZABETH ROESHOLM ATToRNy sHOl-M E, ROE

R PERPETUAL CALENDA 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Nov. 20, 1951 Filed July 20, 1950 lm IH 1N VEN T03' ELIZABETH ROESH- BY M *inap/YH Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE PERPETUAL CALENDAR Elizabeth Roesholm, Bronx, N. Y.

Application July 20, 1950, Serial No. 174,970

5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in perpetual calendars.

Calendars are knownwhich by means of key numbers or the like can be manipulated Vto provide a more or less perpetual time record. It is also known that the Gregorian system of time ,measurement which is in general use throughout the world provides for twenty-eight year cycles,

that is to say, in any given year each date occurs `on` the same day of the week as in a year re- `moved therefrom by` twenty-eight` years or any dicated properly.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a perpetual calendar which is free of the faults and complexities of prior art calendars.

For further comprehension of the invention,

`and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the `following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment f the calendar of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partially diagrammatic View of a tape utilized by the device.

The principle of the invention is applicable in a variety of forms of which the preferred one is illustrated in the drawings. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral I0 indicates a flat box or cabinet of wood or other suitable material adapted to be laid atop a desk or the like or hung on a wall. The frontward or upper wall I I of the cabinet I0 is provided with ten windows or openings I2, one for each of the months March through December, and with two over-size windows I3 for the months of January and February. The openings I2 and I3 are located mainly in two horizontal rows, openings representing the months of January, March, May,`July, August, October and December being in one row, and

vopenings representing the months April, June,

September and November being in the second row. :The opening I3 for February is located directly beneath that` for January and below the April, June, etc., row of openings I2. The purpose of this `arrangement will become apparent hereinafter.

l There also are provided a plurality of small openings I4 which are utilized for indicating the year, such openings being located beneath the September opening I2 in the present instance. -Between the January and February windows I3 a pair of lateral year slots I5 are provided for use with the said windows I3, as will become apparent l hereinafter.

.As shown in Fig. 1, letters indicating the sev- Veral days of the week are printed or otherwise .inscribed on wall I I above eachmonthly opening I2l in the appropriate positions.

Each of the openings I2 also is provided with the appropriate monthly designation. as shown.

-Slidably mounted on the front wall Il of box 1 I0 and .covering the windows I3 is a panel I'I having at its upper end an extrusion I8 which extends into. a notch 20 in the front upper edge of the box, see also Fig. 3. At about its center 4saidpanel is provided` with a slot 22 through Jwhich projects adouble-headed stud 23 secured in the frontwall II. The construction is such `that the said` panel is slidable horizontally but `isdetained in set position by the head of stud 23.

' The panel II is provided with a pair of windows 24 of the same size as the windows I2 described l. above, each said window being locatedin vertical alignment with one of the windows I3. Above each window 24 letters indicatinglthe several days of `the week are printed orY otherwise inscribed onthe panel I'I. The windows I3 are wider than the windows 24 by one `day of the week space (see Fig.` 4), and the amount of movement of panel I1 is regulated to cover the rightmost or 3 26, and each having a reduced lower end extended through and journalled in the bottom 2'I of said cabinet, see-Figs. 1 and 2. Where the spindles .see Fig. 5.

is shown as encompassing seven vertical columns of numbers on the tape, the seven columns representing the seven days of the weekpand the numbers in said columns extending from 1`to 31 in the usual manner. seven vertical columns there are provided thirtyfour vertical columns of numbers such that no matter which seven columns are encompassed by the January opening 24, the numbers therein extend from 1 to 31; and this same condition exists for the March, May, July, October and December openings I2 which, however, being vlocated rightward of 'the January opening, have a greater number of columns' of numbers to the left thereof. This is accomplished by extending each of the lateral rows of numbers in the seven rightmost vertical columns of ,the block leftward in inverse progression to 1, and by adding successively lower lateral rows of numbers' extending from 31 in inverse progression leftward toward 1 every eight columns following that in which the rightmost number 31 occurs;v The lower ones of said added rows extend leftward only to the thirty-fourth column beyond the said January opening, this being the 'limitof the number block.' As shown in Fig. 5, the l-ateral rows of numbers are inclined upwardly toward the left so that whereas the number 3| is located in the bottom one of the rows Visible through a particular window I2, the number 1 of the row is located in the topmost one of the rows of numbers Visible through a said window. Thus the windows I2 can be made comparatively narrow from top Vto bottom.

The day of the week on which the rst of March occurs changes by one day from one year to the next, and by two days between-a 'leap year and the preceding year.

It will be seen, therefore, that in order for the number 1 to fall in the correct day position in the March opening I2, it is necessary to move the tape 23 rightward one number position between each year and ,two number positions before each leapyear, by means of the appropriateknob 2B.

In order to facilitate moving the tape the correct number of positions and also to indicate the year for which the calendar is set, aV second block of numbers is provided in verticalalignment with the March-December windows rI4,

The numbers -in this block are yarranged in lateral rows and each indicates a year, that is, 1950, 1951, 1952, etc. VEach l-ateralfrow contains twenty-eight year numbers-with' the lowest number at the right. Between eachleapY year number and the number-for the preceding year a number position is left blank. VIn the illustrated instance, the rightmost number of each row is aligned with a window I4, said numbers, in the present instance, being 50 and 78. With these numbers visible the number l seen through the March opening I2 occurs under the Wednesday designation. If the tape be moved rightward to make visible the numbers 51 and 79,7the number 1 would occur in the Thursday endar column; and if the tape be moved two steps rightward to 1952 which is a leap year, then the number 1 would occur under Saturday. Finally, when the tape is moved rightward to its limit to bring the number 197'7 into alignment with the upper window I4, the number 1 in the March opening I2 occurs in the Tuesday column. This, it will be seen, is one step removed from the original setting whereinvthe 1 was located in the Wednesday column. Therefore the tape is moved leftward to the initial position resetting the calfor another twenty-eight year period beginning with the year 1978.

To the'A left'of'said It is to be mentioned at this point that whereas wonly tworows of year numbers are illustrated,

any Nnumber could be provided, and if desired, means can readily be provided for blocking the View of the numbers in those rows not being used at aparticular time.

The block of numbers for the lower row of windows I2 is the same as just described lexcept that the numbers extend only from 1 to 30, there being only 30 days in the months represented by said windows; that is, April, 'J-une, September and November. A block of numbers similarto that above described is provided for the February window 24 on the same tape `3,f this latterblock of numbers extending only from 1 to 29, however. L

The purpose of having the sliding winddwsi24 for January and February is to take into account the fact that in leap year the extra day is'a'dded at Vthe end of February. "I'hus'theday Vofthe week on which the iirst of January and February occurs is not affected by leap year until the following year, whereas the other months Ifrom March to December are affected 'in this'lrespect during leap year.

A separate block Aof year numbers is provided for January and February, the arrangement of said yearly numbers, however, being different from that for March-December.l That is, a number space is left blank between each le'ap year and the following year rather than between each leap year and the preceding year. Here a'gain twenty-eight 'year' numbers vare 'provided inieach row to allow the calendar to perpetuate itself indelinitely, that' isV to say, tofbegina new cycle every twenty-eight years.V It will be'seen that with the panel III in its leftward position, the rightmost column of numbers in each'windowY I3 is obscured, 'and thelleftmost made visible." Further,l the"yea`r number Vin the rightward end of each slot I5 is obscured 'dows'vIlL and the year number in the'leftward end thereof madevisible through window 2| Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, the year numbers k50"'and'-78 are visible in the windows 2l attl'lesam'e t'imje'that the identical numbers arevis'ible through 4wini However, when'the'tape4V is moved rightward two spaces from the position in which 'theyear number 51 is visible inthe uppermost 'window I4 to that'in which the year number 52;is visible in said hole, a Vblank space is-visible in the uppermost window 2i in panel Il. Therefore, to make visible the number 52;;in said window, the panel is moved rightward one spacci' By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that this not only makes visible the correct year number, butalso aligns the day of the week indicating letters with the appropriate numerals visible throughwthe January and February windows 24. Atthe end of the year 1952, or any other leap year, the panel I'I is moved to its leftward position again 4to make visible `the next following yearcnumber rather than the blank space between itvand the leap year number.` The calendar is then in the initial condition illustrated. n v

It will be seen, therefore, that all that is required to set the calendar for a given year is to move the tape 3D and, if needed, the panel I1, into positions to bring the number of that year into View through the windows I 4` and 2l. In doing this the monthly dates are positioned automatically.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions .herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A perpetual calendar which comprises a movable tape, blocks of day numbers printed on said tape in rows, one block for February, one for the thirty-one day months and one for the thirty daymonths, masking means for said tape having therein a plurality of windows, one for each month, said blocks of numbers being so arranged that the correct day numbers of the appropriate month are visible through each said window, means for indicating the positions in each said window of the seven days of the week, blocks of year numbers on said tape arranged in rows, twenty-eight numbers to a row, one for January and February and one for the other months, windows in the masking means for viewing one said year number in each row at a time, the year numbers for January-February being so arranged that a number position is left blank between each leap year number and the number for the following year, and the year numbers of the other block being arranged so that the blank space is left between each leap year number and the number of the preceding year, and means for shifting the January-February day and year windows one space lengthwise of the said rows, the arrangement of the day numbers. and the positional relationship between the year numbers and the day numbers being such that the day numbers are located in the correct day of the week positions in said windows when each of the twenty-eight year numbers in a row is visible. ,t

2. A perpetual calendar which comprises a movable tape, blocks of day numbers printed on said tape in rows, one block for February, one for the thirty-one day months, and one for the thirty day months, masking means for said tape having therein a plurality of windows, one for each month, said blocks of numbers being so arranged that the correct day numbers of the appropriate month are visible through each said window, means for indicating the positions in each said window of the seven days of the week, blocks of year numbers on said tape arranged in rows, twenty-eight numbers to a row, one for January and February and one for the other months, windows in the masking means for viewing one said year number in a row at a time, the year numbers for January-February being so arranged that a number position is left blank between each leap year number and the number for the following year, and the year numbers of the other block being arranged so that the blank space is left between each leap year number and the number of the preceding year, means for shifting the January-February day and year Windows one space lengthwise of said rows, the arrangement of the day numbers and the positional relationship between the year :numbers and the. day numbers being such that the day numbers are located in the correct day of the week positions in said windows when each of the twenty-eight year numbers in a row is visible, and means for moving the tape past said windows.

3. A perpetual calendar which comprises a movable tape, blocks of years numbers on said tape arranged in rows, twenty-eight numbers to a row, one for January and February and one for the other months, the year numbers for January-February being so arranged that a number position is left `blank between each leap year number and the number of the following year, and the year Ynumbers of the other blockbeing so arranged that a number position is left blank between each leap year number and the number of the preceding year, means for masking the tape, windows in said masking means for making visible one year number in each row, a plurality of blocks of day numbers on said tape arranged in rows, one block for February, one for the thirty-one day months and one for the thirty day months, a plurality of windows in said masking means, one for each month, said blocks of day numbers being so arranged that the correct day numbers of the appropriate month are visible through each said window, means for indicating the seven day of the week positions in each latter said window, and means for shifting the J anuary-February day and year windows one space lengthwise of said rows, the arrangement of the day numbers and the positional relationship between the year numbers and the day numbers being such that the day numbers are located in the correct day of the week positions in the latter said windows when each of the twenty-eight year numbers in a row is visible.

4. A perpetual calendar which comprises a movable tape, blocks of year numbers on said tape arranged in rows, twenty-eight numbers to a row, one for January and February and one for the other months, the year numbers for January- February being so arranged that a number position is left blank between each leap year number and the number of the following year, and the year numbers of the other block being so arranged that a number position is left blank between each leap year number and the number of the preceding year, means forrmasking the tapes, windows in said masking means for making visible one year number in each row, a plurality of blocks of day numbers on said tape arranged in rows, one block for January and February, one for the thirty-one day months and one for the thirty day months, a plurality of windows in said masking means, one for each month, said blocks of day numbers being so arranged that the correct day numbers of the appropriate month are visible through each said window, means for indicating the seven days of the week positions in each latter said window, means for shifting the January-February day and year windows one space lengthwise of said rows, the arrangement of the day numbers and the positional relationship between the year numbers and the day numbers being such that the day numbers are located in the correct day of the week positions in the latter said windows when each of the twenty-eight year numbers in a row mss-'rasee 5. A perpetual calendar which comprisesfa'V movable' tape, blocks of `year numbersxf-on said tape arranged in'rows, twentyfeight'numbers to 5 space` lengthwise of saidv rows, the arrangement a row, one for January and February, and one of the dayrfI-iumbers andthe positional relationfor the other months, the year numbers forHJanf shin; of theyearnumbers therewith being such nary-February being so arrangedthat' anumber that theL-,correot Anumbers are presented in -each position is left blank between each leapfyear day of the week position for each of the twentynumber and the number of' the following year, 10 eight'year-positionsin iicated in-.the --rstmsail and the year numbers on the other tapes being windows. so arranged that a number position isrleft blank yn ELIZABElEHfROESljIQLL/L between each leap year number and the number il l. -f of the preceding year, means for Vmasking fthe' y y -QI'IED--. ,A i PaDeSz Windows 1n $a1d maskngmeansfoffmakf 15 The following references are iof reco d in the lng vlslble one year number in each row, means fue of this patent: n ,s i forfmovng the tape pastsaid Windows, a plu- I rality of blocks ofday numbers on said tape, ar- UNITED STATES' ranged in rows, fone` for February, one for the Number A, Name I Date Y thirty-one day months, and one for the thirtyl 20, 1,999,468v YMaddock Apr. 30, ..1935

day months, a plurality of windows in said maskingfmeansfonegfoneach monthfmeansffor india catingethe seven fday ,of-*l theweek positionsfnv each said 'latten-window, and means Vfor# shifting the J anuary-liebruary 'dayy andyear windows one' 

